Sesann Cassina Armchair Gianfranco Frattini Italian Mid Century Vintage Retro MCM

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Sesann Cassina Armchair Gianfranco Frattini Italian Mid Century Vintage Retro MCM

Price is per chair

An iconic Sesann armchair designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina from 1969 to 1970 in their original tan light brown leather upholstery.

A true statement piece, this design is instantly recognisable for its bold, sculptural form and the characteristic chrome structure that subtly frames the generously padded cushions.

Complete with an authentic Cassina stickers to the underneath. These look to be models produced in the late 1970s.

Dimensions
Height - 67cm
Width - 108cm
Depth - 100cm
Seat Height - 37cm

Gianfranco Frattini is widely regarded as a mid-century master of Italian modern design.

He was an award-winning architect and designer, and specialized in creating furniture and decor that is both decorative and practical - Frattini’s vintage desks, armchairs, nesting tables and other works are celebrated for their sophisticated merging of function and form.

Born in Padua in 1926, Frattini studied architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan. He later apprenticed with his teacher and mentor, Gio Ponti. Through Ponti — arguably the most important figure in 20th century Italian architecture and design - Frattini met many notable modernist designers such as Oscar Niemeyer and Le Corbusier, but an introduction to famed Italian entrepreneur Cesare Cassina would prove incredibly significant in helping launch his career.

During the mid 1950s, Frattini began to collaborate with Cassina’s eponymous company. He designed the brand’s acclaimed leather and walnut Model 849 lounge chair - a winner of the Compasso d’Oro award - the Marema nesting tables and the iconic Sesann collection.

In addition to Cassina, Frattini created furniture and lighting for other manufacturers such as Bernini, Arteluce, Artemide, Knoll and more.

While many of his designs incorporate glass, tubular steel and other materials, Frattini loved working with wood. The sculptural Albero bookcase, an innovative floor-to-ceiling structure made in walnut that swings on a 360-degree vertical swivel axis, is a striking example of Frattini’s dedication to traditional woodworking techniques. In the early 1970s, he traveled to Japan with friend and collaborator Pierluigi Ghianda, a master Milanese cabinet maker in order to study the work of artisans in Kyoto. The trip inspired his design of the Kyoto table, a work of solid beech with Canaletto walnut inserts that is part of the permanent collection of the Milan Triennale’s Design Museum. The Kyoto and Albero have been revived by Poltrona Frau.

Frattini’s designs are in the permanent collections of prestigious museums such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

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National and international delivery is available at an extra cost which we can organise on your behalf.

Collection in person is welcome. We are West of Cambridge in Bourn CB23.

Please message before purchasing to confirm delivery costs.

Please note that vintage furniture may have some slight imperfections, which is to be expected in keeping with its age, as we do not offer returns on items sold.